CSA Boxes: If it’s not veggies, a tough sell

Would you buy a box of bread, cheese, chocolate, wine, olive oil or jam from a local artisan on a regular basis?

In Berkeley and beyond, budding food producers are incorporating the community food model in their business plans. But they are having mixed success. Indeed, whether this concept can become financially feasible outside of the fruit and vegetable box remains to be seen.

“The jury is still out on if this is sustainable, long term,” said Cindy Tsai Schultz, co-founder of Fresh Bite, a baked goods start-up that began with a community supported approach, but has since put the idea on hold.

Community supported food began with CSAs or Community Supported Agriculture, which has proven mutually beneficial for farmers and consumers. It’s a popular way to buy local, seasonal, organic, sustainable vegetables, fruits, and herbs directly from a small-scale farmer through a subscription or membership system, and it offers a direct connection between producer and purchaser. From an economic standpoint, a CSA provides growers with upfront funds and a known demand, an important buffer in the risky and unpredictable business of farming. (Subscribers pay a regular weekly fee, typically in the $20-$55 range, depending on the size and mix of the box.)